Onward and Forward

Chapter 1: A fresh start for all.

It had been a few months since the migration from Mt. Ebott back to the Surface, all thanks to the efforts of Frisk. With the amount of DETERMINATION he had and the help from all his friends, he was able to break down the barrier that had stood between them and the Human World. It was nothing short of a miracle when he did what he did. For so long, had they remained underground, shuffling and scuffling around in the ongoing dark, cut off from the outside. During that time, all forms of emotions were tangible and present:
Anger

Sorrow

Frustration

Humiliation

Fear

Despair

Hopelessness

HATRED

All those negative emotions that had been boiling over the years while trapped beneath, they all had wondered if they were to remain there for all time, never again to feel the warmth of the sun, bare witness to see the blue sky, experience change and all its worth. For the longest time, it proved true time and time again. As the years went by with each child that came to the Underground. They were given hope, hope that would bring change. hope that things would be different, HOPE; that would grant them all normal lives once more... but every time they hoped, it was taken away and the results were always the same…

They Died. Every. Single. Time.

Sure, it was all needed as part of the plan to go about to get to the outside, no matter how cruel. That was what the younger generation of Monsters fiercely thought without a second guess, for they saw that as an essential price to Freedom, but for the older generations that knew much better, they saw it as a sick joke that played over and over again that would raise their hopes only to be crushed. They had feared that it would be the exact same thing when the seventh child came to the Underground so they didn't hold on with as much. Some did, but others didn't and simply accepted their damned fate to the overbearing and over looming dark. With the loss of the Prince and disappearance of the Queen. They simply left it at that. Not fully believing in the King, they thought it'd be funny to humor the thought of FREEDOM being within their grasp. They were going to be disappointed again with the Seventh's death, may as well get a good laugh in before then.

But it never happened.

Because of Frisk's DETERMINATION, the barrier had been undone after so many years of being in place at the hands of the humans that won the first war. A human child, with the utmost compassion that had been seen by monsters in a long time, had corrected an 800 year old error that was made by human adults no less, it was rather poetic if you thought about it deeply enough. But that was only one of two miracles that Frisk had performed in one setting. Not only had he broken down the barrier that had confined them under Mt. Ebott but by some sort of miracle, he had also restored Prince Asriel back to his true form, the same that he was before he lost all those years ago. It was a stretch in pulling it off, a stunt that nearly costed Frisk's life, but once again, he shone through and he had managed to do it, bringing back the Scion of the Monster race, much the eternal gratitude of both Toriel and Asgore Dreemur, happy to have their son back once more. Ever since the 'Great Move'; as horribly dubbed by King Asgore, things had been looking up for everyone, especially the main eight that were the first ones to leave the Underground and set grounds for a place of their own, which wasn't easy from the first day. There were problems at first, the part was the fear of monsters just showing up one day with no reason, to the point where the Police had to be called in, even so and out in the real world, Frisk's DETERMINATION had proven effective and he had managed to handle the situation, even though he was only twelve years old. Regardless of the bumpy start, things were going very well for them all.

Starting off with Papyrus, because of his desire to become a Great and Popular chef back in the Underground, he shifted his talents to taking actual cooking lessons so he could BECOME the greatest chef. The reason why? After he tried make his spaghetti known to the world… he was instantly denied. But, ever being the one who doesn't stop in his pursuits for glory and popularity, he saw it as a chance to reach new heights, endure new experiences, learn some new things he never thought of before and continue his goal to become the Great and Popular Master Chef! He was training to be a royal guard, so training to be a Master Chef would pose no problems!

Next up was Undyne. It was a bit of a rough start for her, because of her zeal somewhat… okay, very violent outbursts, she was rejected outright from the start when she applied to be a cadet at the police training academy. That kind of vigor was very bad, especially when it came handling delicate situations when force isn't an option. Obviously, she didn't take it very well. At first she was angry but it quickly dissolved in sorrow. You would think that she would've accepted that outcome and search for something else, but this is Undyne we're talking about! Obviously she would try and try and try again until she succeeded. In the meantime, while she was sorting things out to get into the academy, she took up Toriel's proposition and would devote her time to being the local Ebott Elementary gym teacher. Much to her surprise, she actually enjoyed working with children, both Human and Monster, she even entertained them while bench pressing them, just for fun,

Mettaton was definitely something to behold. Since moving to the surface, the people had found that an entertainment robot was… odd, to say the least. Of course people found him strange, seriously, an AI robot that wanted to be famous, who wouldn't be surprised by that. Needless to say, that shock didn't last very long. The moment he showed his true form in all his fabulousness… well, it went without saying that he generated a very huge amount of fans and followers in such a short amount of time, mostly by girls and some guys… the guys ended up questioning their sexuality.

Up next, Alphys. Because of her high intellect and ingenuity with machinery, this earned her a spot on the team of the town's leading scientists, they were always in need of a new mind in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. And with someone like her in their group, it would bolster their chances in that aspect. Plus, being around like minded people that could match her intellect, it also helped build her self confidence even more, allowing her to be more vocal about things she normally couldn't be about. Undyne will always be her prime motivator but others that were like her was also a huge boost. She also got to work with an assortment of new things that were never present in the Underground, so that's a good bonus.

And then, there was Sans. Hoo boy, this was something that NO ONE, not even Papyrus saw coming. Despite his Brilliant but Lazy, Go-with-the-flow attitude, thanks to the efforts of Frisk and his endeavours, he was now genuinely serious about taking some form of action this time around, rather than sitting back and being morose about 'That Possibility'. It will always be there, that was fact but because of Frisk's DETERMINATION, he now had a different, more positive out on things and decided to take initiative. Sure, he still had his laid back attitude and did his trademark bad puns and gags, but still had this air of maturity about him. What everyone didn't see coming was that he became a Physicist and Cosmologist professor for Ebott University. His specialty: Quantum Mechanics. Turns out of that not only was he popular with his students, but he also highest percentage of passing students, a lot more than some of the professors there.

And last up was Toriel. Once they had reached the surface, she had finally achieved her life-long dream of becoming a Teacher. The local Ebott Elementary school was searching for a new teacher to lecture their 4th grade glass, seeing as how they were in need of a new one. She happily jumped at the chance to be an instructor. Of course she was given a series of tests to see if she was capable, and she passed, all of them. There were some, that gave her a bit of difficulty, but she did her best and got the job as teacher. She also considered herself lucky, for she is a teacher to both Frisk and Asriel, and a few Monster students that were in her class. There were some students that tried hard to get away with something just to get a raise out of her, just because of how she looked, but they quickly learned that was a very bad idea. Having Undyne as fellow teacher, really helped get her settled and accustomed.

Yeah, Needless to say, they all had a rough start, but they found their niche and everything was looking up for everyone. Life couldn't be better… or could they?

Time: 3:15

Day: Thursday

It was a fairly pleasant ride home for the Dreemur family. As Toriel focused on the road, gently humming to the tune of the radio that was playing, Frisk and Asriel were talking about various things and how their day was.

"And then Kid had some trouble with his food when trying to get to the table. So I did what anybody would do for a friend and helped him out, it's only fair right?" Asriel asked, his legs hanging off the seat, swinging back and forth as the smooth ride home continued.

*You tell Asriel that you're proud of him for what he did today.*

The young goat boy showed off his purest smile at Frisk who was also smiling as well, both boys shared a light laugh, which was accompanied by a faint chuckle by their mother.

"Well Frisk, tomorrow is Friday and then the weekend, have you decided what project we should do?" Asriel asked again.

*You suggest that you both do a report on Ranunculus.*

"Ran-ran-run-col-los?" Asriel repeated, trying to say the rather large word like Frisk did. Toriel noticed her son's difficulty and chuckled lightly at his attempts. She made a mental note to take time out of her day to improve his language skills, but was also surprised at how Frisk also knew that word.

"'Ranunculus'. Worry not my child. It's simply a bigger word for Buttercup. Something you'll learn as well when you get older." Toriel gently informed her son.

"Ohhh, alright. I think I get it. Okay, but Frisk, how did you know that word?" Asriel asked his brother, turning his attention to Frisk.

"Yes Frisk, I also wonder how you knew about Ranunculus. I don't recall teaching it to you." Toriel pointed out.

*You tell your mother and Asriel that you recalled seeing it in a book about flowers back when in the Underground.*

"Book about flowers? Oh, you mean my Guide to over 1000 types of Flowers? Ah, I remember now. I forgot all about it when we moved to the surface. In fact, there's your very first resource for your project. I'll make sure to take you to the Library this weekend so you have more information." Toriel added on.

"Thanks mom! Me and Frisk are gonna get an A for sure!" Asriel declared.

*You shared your similar enthusiasm with Asriel about the project. The thought of getting an A on your school project fills you DETERMINATION*

"I know you boys will both do just wonderful, I'm looking forward to seeing it on Wednesday." Toriel replied while flashing both Frisk and Asriel a warm smile before returning her attention back to the road.

"We promise Mom," Asriel answered her before turning his attention back to his brother. "Well Frisk, it's Thursday again, you know what that means… Pie! Hope Dad has it ready when we get home." Asriel pointed out, eager to try their father's pie.

*You tell Asriel that you're eager as well, but not getting your hopes up either.*

Asriel puffed his cheeks at the reply. "Aww, how come? Don't you believe in Dad?"

*You tell Asriel that Dad is most likely studying again, as he is everyday.

Asriel simply sighed at Frisk's reply. "You're probably right, that's what I've seen him mostly do whenever we get home from school everyday. Frisk, why does Dad spend all his time studying? When we got out of the Underground, he would play with us lots, now, he's always so busy." the young goat boy asked his brother.

*You tell Asriel that Dad is in the midst of working for something that will benefit all Monsters and why it's taking up most of his time.*

"That makes sense, I guess. I just want Dad to spend more time with us, that's all. You know, you, me, Mom and Dad, all four of us. One day" Asriel replied.

*You reached over and placed your hand on your brother's shoulder and tell Asriel that everything will be okay.*

"I know Frisk," Asriel smiled. "We have a part to play when we're older, right?" he asked. Frisk nodded with a smile of his own that made the goat boy smile as well, matching Frisk's. The rest of the ride home was a fairly cheery with talks of what games the boys would play. Toriel couldn't help but smile from the energy they were giving off. So young, yet so close. Seeing them together felt a bit nostalgic in a sense. She simply sighed and shrugged it off and continued to drive along the road.

Some things are better left in the past.

Pulling up into the driveway, she parked right in of a garage that was apart of a rather large house, Toriel, Asriel and Frisk were now home. The outside was a simple white color with tinges of purple on the edges in various places. From the looks of it, the house had multiple rooms on the inside, as it could be seen from the amount of windows up above the main windows. Frisk and Asriel were the first ones to get out of the car with Toriel following behind. They both closed the doors and ran up to their house.

"Remember boys, homework first, then you can play!" she called out while closing the car door, locking it behind her.

"We know!" Asriel called out from atop the stoop. Once Frisk was standing beside the boy, he took hold of the handle and turned it, allowing them into their home and the first thing that greeted them was a familiar smell that made Asriel nearly squeal out and jump for joy.

It was the smell of freshly baked pie, fresh from the oven.

Giddy with glee, Asriel reached for his brother's arm and took hold of it and began to bounce up and down on the front of his feet. Facing him, he had the biggest smile that made the hybrid smile as well, even though he was usually straight faced,

"Frisk! Dad made pie, he remembered! C'mon, let's go have some!" Asriel said excitedly while pulling Frisk into the house, the boy chuckled at his brother's excitement

*You tell Asriel that you'll get the pie soon enough.*

"I know, I know, but, Dad made pie today Frisk in such a long time! You know how much Sans, Papyrus Undyne and Auntie Alphys loves Dad's pies. I don't want it to be all gone." Asriel pointed out, playfully puffing out his cheeks and making a mock face of annoyance as he continued to pull Frisk further into the house. All the noise that Asriel was making definitely didn't go unnoticed in the large house, that was for sure. From the den that lead to the left which lead to the rooms, a familiar voice, that was very deep called out from there instantly gaining the boys attention.

"Are those my two favorite boys home from school?"

Frisk and Asriel looked towards the hallway, only to see a large man emerge from hall, upon closer inspection, the large male looked like an older version of Asriel and Frisk, the noticeable difference, he had a golden beard that extended all the way up to his hair with a little bit bridging under his nose. He was wearing a white and purple apron. He had a cheerful smile on his face as he saw his sons back home from school.

"I thought I recognized that voice the moment the door opened." Asgore chuckled as got down on his knees with arms opened wide for them.

"Daddy!" Asriel shouted out while letting go of Frisk and ran up to the elder goat, jumping into him, on arm gently closed on him, embracing the boy with a hug. Asriel buried his face into his father's beard and used his tiny arms to hold onto him, hugging back as well. Frisk was close behind and did the same thing Asriel did, giving his father a hug after a long day of school. With both boys in his arms, he securely held them close like any father would to their child(ren). With his arms shifting under them, he stood back up, allowing them both to sit on his arms.

"Seems like you two had a pretty good day today. Lucky for you both, I made your favorite pie! It's-"

"Cinnamon butterscotch pie!" Asriel called out before Asgore, causing the older male to chuckle heartily at the boy's answer.

"Correct! Look at you, so smart you are." Asgore replied while bumping his nose against Asriel's making him giggle in response. "I figure you boys could use a treat, it has been awhile since you had pie. I'm sorry I've been so busy with my studies, I didn't mean to. But hey, things are looking up. I reached a good stopping point, so I'm taking a break for now." he added while looking at the both of them.

"Really?" Asriel asked hopefully.

"Really truly. That means we can have fun now… after you've finished your homework. Your mother would roast me alive if she heard that." Asgore chuckled while leaning back down to let both Asriel and Frisk back on the ground.

"Okay, does that mean all four of us can have fun together, dad?" Asriel asked Asgore, causing the elder male to slightly flinch at that and was briefly at a loss for words, but quickly jumped back on track and only smiled.

"We will, sport. One day, we all will. You, me, Frisk and… Tori. As family, I promise." he weakly chuckled while petting his son on the head. Asriel flashed his father the brightest smile, like a child in the candy store, finding their favorite candy instantly. The petting was interrupted by Frisk reaching over and tugging on Asgore's sleeve.

"Yes child, you have a question for me?" he asked, giving the boy his attention.

*You asked your Dad if he feels nervous about the test coming up.*

"A little, I mean, it's a big step for me, for all of us in fact. Just a little more and Monsters from the Underground will be official surface residents. Something that we've all been looking forward to for a long time," Asgore replied while petting Frisk's head, his hair tousled about while his ears felt the minor vibrations as well. When the petting came to a stop, Frisk noticed that back of Asgore's hand had a large bandage over when it was within sight. Naturally, alerted the male.

*You point at the wound and asked if Dad was okay.*

"What? Oh, this?" Asgore replied while holding his hand up for both boys to see, he covered it and gently rubbing at the bandaged wound. "It's nothing, really! Just a scratch. Had a little mishap in the kitchen earlier today. I assure you." he pointed out, laughing off the injury, even though Frisk remained straight faced, there was definitely a look of worry. As for Asriel, he reached under the covered back hand took hold of his dad's, caressing it.

"But, you got hurt! Did it happen when you were making the pie?" the boy asked his father, worry clear in his voice.

*You repeated your question again while placing your hand over Asriel's* Asgore saw the genuine care that both his sons had for him and all he did was smile at them. Gently pulling away, he rested both hands on the boys' heads.

"Asriel, Frisk." He started out. "It's okay, I'm okay, these things are bound to happen, one way or another when working with sharp objects. I even have accidents when working in the shed and end up with cuts and scrapes, sometimes when tending to the flowers in the garden. The kitchen is no different so it was bound to happen at one point, and it did a little while ago. My point is, boys, is that accidents happen. I'll recover over time." Asgore smile while petting both of the boys this time. "And I thank you both for being concerned about me, but don't worry. I'm fine." Those words cheered them both up, relieving the elder goat male. "Alright you two, I have two slices of pie waiting for you in the kitchen with your names on them. We can work on your homework while you eat. Now, hop to it." Asgore instructed with a simple clap. Both boys nodded and hightailed it to the kitchen. He followed their movements out of the main room and beyond to the kitchen, Both of them were eager to have their afternoon snack and get a jump on their homework. The moment that they vanished beyond the doorway that led to the kitchen, the front door had closed, capturing his attention. He turned to see that Toriel had walked into their home, one shoulder had her bag of personals, the other, was filled with papers from students that needed to be graded. She let out a sigh after locking the door.

"Another long day completed, good thing I'm not too tired. Best get jump on it while I-" her sentence stopped midway the moment her eyes locked with Asgore. Both Monsters were in the same room and already, the tension, thick and heavy as it was, had set in instantly as the two simply stood where they were, even while still at a distance from each other. She visibly looked annoyed that once again they were in the same room, but nonetheless, she remained civil about it.

"Asgore." She started off, arms folding while still keeping the same look that physically made him wince. He could feel the sting in her voice, then again this wasn't the first time he felt said sting.

"Good afternoon Tori," Asgore followed up, a paw landing on the back of his head, awkwardly rubbing it. "How was your day?"

"Fine." she quickly and curtly replied. "Yours?" she asked back just as fast.

"Good, good. got a lot done today." He replied.

"I can see that, judging by how you're standing there, I assume your studies are done for the day?" she asked back, the delivery stung just as bad.

Asgore simply nodded, not really having a way to reply to that. "Yes, I made sure to get a little bit more done today." answered, the tension getting more and more thick.

"Good. Make sure that the boys get their homework done. I have papers that need to be graded. Now if you'll excuse me." Toriel finished while sharply breaking eye contact with him and headed left towards her room, not bothering to say anything else. He could feel the chill of her sudden disregard hit him across the face. Just as she was about to pass through, he quickly called out to her.

"Um, Tori?" Asgore started off. That action stopped her briefly and she shot him a look with one eyebrow raised that instantly stopped him from going any further. He pulled his hand back while the other landed over the wound. He merely looked off to the side to avoid her piercing gaze. "On second thought, nevermind. It's not that important." He meekly added, backing off. Her gaze broke off and she disappeared past the hall. Letting go of a breath. 'Guess we're still not there yet,' Asgore solemnly thought to himself while letting out a breath. "At least she didn't hurl fireballs at me this time." he lowly chuckled, even though the tone was that of a defeated one. "No point in dwelling." Asgore told himself while turning to face the kitchen where his sons were. He could hear them happily enjoying their afternoon snack. Shaking off what had happened, he proceeded into kitchen with the best smile he could manage, this in turn made both boys smile as well, even though they had a mouth full of pie. "All right, let's get a crack down on that homework, huh?" Asgore said while taking a seat in between them,

Reaching her room in a matter of moments, Toriel stepped inside and closed the door behind her, placing her back against it while flicking the lights on. With her head aimed upwards, she let out an exhausted breath after the confrontation with her Ex.

"Even now, it's still hard to be around him, even though we live under the same roof."

It had been a full seven months since they had left the Underground and all eight of them had decided to live in the same house. As great as it was, for Toriel, it was especially difficult with Asgore living there as well, it was hard enough being in the same room with one another. Thankfully when dinner came around it was much easier because everyone had something to say to one another, but not the two of them. Yes, they had agreed to be in okay terms for the sake of their children, but it was proving to be quite a challenge, and given his actions in the past, it just added to the difficulty. Pushing herself off the door, she walked over to the bed and placed her bags on the covered mattress, She could've easily put everything off and just take a nap, letting the rest of the day just pass by, but she knew better. That would have to wait. She had a lot of papers that needed to be graded by tomorrow, thankfully it wouldn't take too long. Perhaps 2… 3 hours top, but that's simple stuff. Reaching into the bag, she took out the stack of papers that were perfectly stacked, thanks to the large clip that held them together. Holding it in one arm, he reached back into bag and pulled out the grading sheet as well as a red pen. With all the items she needed, Toriel moved over to the desk that rested in front of the bed against the wall. What she saw, made her briefly stop and looked at what was there,

A simple teacup that was filled with freshly made tea, with steam gently rising from the liquid. On the side, a single slice of pie with a dining fork resting idly besides the slice, waiting to be used.

"Ever the one to impress, aren't you, Asgore?" Toriel questioned herself.

She simply sighed as she saw this, Not in disgust or annoyance, just simply an exhausted sigh, she surmised that it was a simple gesture that Asgore had done to get on her good side. Placing the papers and items on the far side, walking back to the desk, she pulled the seat out for herself and sat down, she took hold of the fork between her fingers and sliced the edge of the pie. Sticking the end into the piece that was separated, she took it into her mouth and began to chew, much to her surprise, his pie making skills had improved dramatically. It was the first time in a long one where she actually tasted his pies, even though the recipe was hers, the fact that he put this much effort into making it, said something. Before, she would reject the very idea of eating it, feeling like it was an insult, but now, it was enough to bring a faint smile to her muzzle, but simply that and nothing more. Placing the fork down, she reached for the tea and placed the rim on her lips and slightly tilted back, allowing the flavored liquid to bypass her taste buds and down the throat. As she thought, it was Asgore's favorite brand: Golden Flower tea, something that he drank often. Placing the cup back on the plate, she shook off the memories that tried to worm their way back in her mind. The Past was the past and the Now is the now. Drudging them up wouldn't do any good, for either of them. Moving forward was the only thing left for them now. Reaching over, she took hold of the first paper and began to grade, while occasionally taking bites and sips every in between with very faint smiles that followed each time.

She found herself frequently distracted from her goal as she went on with the tasks in front of her.

"And with that, we're done! See, nothing hard. All that was needed was a little time to think about it." Asgore pointed while watching his both sons finish up on their homework. Only an hour had passed, but already, both of them had finished their homework.. They placed all the sheets they were given back into their folders. The table was a bit of a mess, seeing as how papers were scattered here and there, but nothing a little quick cleaning couldn't fix. In a matter of minutes, the table looked like it was before the chaos. "Be sure to leave your homework for your mother to grade boys, it makes her job a lot easier." Asgore added while taking up the plates and placed them in the sink, he'd wash them later once everyone else was back home. "Now, with all that done, I'll be in the yard if you need me." Asgore smiled as he walked out of the kitchen backdoor that led to the backyard, leaving the boys in the kitchen.

"We know." Asriel replied while watching their father leave the house. "C'mon Frisk, homework's done, let's do something." Asriel suggested while hopping off the chair with Frisk doing the same.

*You ask Asriel if there's anything in particular that he wants to do.*

"Hmmm," the young boy pondered, letting possible ideas run through his head. "You know, I really don't have an idea. It's Thursday, you think anything is on?" he asked.

*You told Asriel that you don't think so.*

"I kinda agree with you, Frisk. It's Thursday after all. Not much happens on this particular day…" Asriel let's out a sigh. He reached over with his own arm and took hold of the other, gripping it. "On second thought, you can do whatever you like, Frisk. I'm gonna go lay down for a bit and take a little nap." Asriel pointed out, briefly looking down before turning away from Frisk and prepared to leave the kitchen Just as did, Frisk reached out and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, causing Asriel to look back at him.

*You ask Asriel if he's still worried about Dad's hand.*

"No… well, a little, yeah, but it's not that. It's just… Mom is still really mad at Dad isn't she?" asked Asriel.

*You simply solemnly nodded.*

The young goat boy let out a sigh at the answer he was given. "I thought so. You think Mom's gonna be mad at Dad forever?" he asked, eyes casting down as his head did a little slump too. Frisk walked over to Asriel gave his head a gentle pat to reassure him.

*You repeat what you said to him in the car and said everything was going to be okay.* This made the goatboy smile in relief, his hands twiddling together.

"Thanks Frisk. I believe you," Asriel replied. "By the way, it's about…" he looked over to the clock that was up on the wall nearby to see the time. "4:10. The others should be back by now." As if on cue, nearby, they heard the door suddenly burst open and it made them jump in surprise. What followed next was to be expected, seeing as how it happened almost everyday.

"FAMILY! BEHOLD! FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE RETURNED FROM COOKING CLASS! NYHEHEHEH!"

"bro, you don't gotta make the same speech, we all live here too. i know you like making announcements, but have you ever thought that tori, fluffybuns and kids could be sleeping?" asked the other.

"SLEEPING? AT THIS HOUR? PREPOSTEROUS! THEY SHOULD BE USING THIS TIME TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE DAY, SUCH AS MYSELF AND NOT BE LAZYBONES LIKE YOU."

"N-now now, Papyrus, Sans has a point. Toriel has a full time job as a teacher and King Asgore has his hands busy with both housework, yardwork and maintaining his studies. We all know he has an important test coming up soon. A little rest does the body good. As for the boys, school can wear them out as well." replied a nerdy voice.

"it's just as alphys says, bro. chill and let chill."

"CHILL AND LET CHILL? SANS, WHAT KIND OF ANALOGY WAS THAT? IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE IN THE SLIGHTEST!"

"sense? bro, we're skeletons, we can't 'sense' anything. the only sense we're capable of experiencing is…" Sans started off and Papyrus knew where this was going.

"SANS, DON'T YOU DARE…"

"'comic' sense."

"OH MY GOD!" Papyrus cried out, after hearing another of his brother's bad puns. This didn't go unnoticed either, for Alphys was chuckling alongside Sans. "*GASP* ALPHYS, YOU TOO?!"

"S-sorry Papyrus, I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just that Sans managed to…" she trailed, trying to hold back more chuckles from escaping, but the way she just trailed after mentioning Sans names, Papyrus was able to piece the rest together and his jaw fell open. "tickle my 'Funny' bone!"

Sans chuckled a little harder at the Scientist's pun. "hey, that was pretty good. nice one." He complimented. Obviously this didn't go well with the tall skeleton, thanks to a particularly long Nyhee that could be easily heard from the kitchen.

"Looks like Sans, Papyrus and Alphys are home. Let's go greet them." Asriel suggested.

*You nod in agreement*

Both boys walked out of the kitchen and directly into the main hall of the house, seeing the trio there near the door, Sans was still crack puns, Alphys was trying to keep the peace, even though her chuckles didn't cease and Papyrus was Nyheing up a storm while enduring more pun humor. Both boys gently chuckled as they approached the scene.

"Looks like Sans got you again, huh Papyrus?" Asriel spoke, causing them to stop what they were doing and turned their attention to the boys in front of them. Naturally, Papyrus was the first one to greet them when got home from school.

"PRINCE! AND TINY FORMER HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WELCOMES YOU HOME. I TRUST THAT YOUR DAY OF EDUCATION WAS A FRUITFUL ONE?" Papyrus asked the boys as we moved a little closer and knelt down so he was at eye level with them.

*You nodded at the question.*

"Uh huh! We had a good day. Me and Frisk learned a lot today. We're partners for a project that's due wednesday. We're doing a project about flowers!" Asriel replied.

*Buttercup flowers, you tell him*

"WONDERFUL, NOTHING IS MORE WONDERFUL THAN STRIVING FOR THE PERFECT GRADE. I SHOULD KNOW, THE EFFORTS OF WORKING TOWARDS SOMETHING IS THE ULTIMATE PAYOFF, AIMING TO BE IN THE ROYAL GUARD TAUGHT ME THAT. DO YOUR BEST, PRINCE AND TINY FORMER HUMAN, FOR I, THE GREAT AND ENCOURAGING PAPYRUS, SHALL BE ROOTING FOR YOUR SUCCESS!" Papyrus replied, giving the boys a thumbs up. What followed next was a snicker as well a chortle. "WHAT?! WHAT'S SO FUNNY SANS?" Papyrus demanded.

"bro," Sans started, one eye socket closing, leaving the other open.

"Oh dear," Alphys chipped. the boys were snickering as well and Papyrus took notice at the laughter going on.

"WHAT'S GOT YOU ALL SNICKERING? ALL I SAID WAS THAT I WAS ROOTING FOR THEM!" Papyrus replied, and again the chuckling got a little more as the sentence was repeated. He paused for a bit to go over in his mind at how his sentence was causing the laugher. He inspected word for word that he said to the children then came across one in particular, that made his comical eyes appear and go wide in revelation. It was at that moment when Papyrus knew, he effed up. "NYHOHOHOOOO!" The reaction caused the others to burst out in laughter

"sorry bro, you set yourself up on that, still, it was pretty good. i knew you had it in you." Sans complimented.

"THAT IS SOMETHING I DON'T WANT IN ME AT ALL!" Papyrus retorted to his brother.

"because you're a skeleton?"

"SANS!"

"what? i'm just stating the obvious." Sans chuckled. The main hall was filled with laughter from everyone else while Papyrus was Nyehing all the while as the puns continued to run on. After little while, the laughter was starting to die down a bit, snickers kept going, but ultimately were controlled.

"alright, alright. that's enough teasin' my bro for one day, don't want to overload his capacity. that being said," he turned his attentions to the boys that were standing there, still giggling. Resting a boney hand on Frisk's head, instantly gaining both of their attention. "speakin' of which, you two have been home longer than we have, what are tori and asgore up to?" Sans asked them.

*You tell Sans that your mom is grading papers in her room and your dad is in the backyard working.*

"again? he must really love pushing up daisies. if he keeps this up he really will start pushing up daisies." Sans pointed out. Naturally, that would worry anybody, especially, but he did his trademark chuckled. "just a joke kids, what i mean is, too much sun is bad thing. he should take it easy and chillax more often, like yours truly. won't do him any good to overstimulate him until exhaustion." Sans added. He was about to say something else, but a ringing went off nearby, as it was coming from his jacket pocket. Taking his hand of Frisk, he reached in and pulled out his cell. After coming to the surface, thanks to Toriel, he invested in a cellphone of his own, and he had to admit, made sending puns easier. Sure, he could easily be here and there with little notice or without anyone knowing, but it was the puns that mattered. Flipping phone open, he saw that he got a text from a friend. "well wouldja look at that, looks like i got something else to do." Sans announced.

"What'd the text say, Sans?" asked Alphys. Papyrus was also interested in what his brother had to say.

"YES BROTHER! I, TOO, WOULD LIKE TO BE APART OF THE CIRCLE OF KNOWLEDGE." Papyrus added.

"my buddy, grillby finally got the greenlight a couple of hours ago for his new hangout spot. he's having a reception in bit and it would mean a lot to him if i showed up. so, looks like i'm missing dinner." Sans replied while placing the phone back in his pocket. He turned his attention back to Frisk and shrugged. "normally, i'd invite ya for a bite and ask you to treat me, for old time's sake… but. you know the rules kid, it's a school night and i don't want to get on your mom's bad side. side's, *heh.* 'sides', we're on the surface now with a whole new set of rules, wouldn't look too good to bring the future ambassador of monsters to an adult bar, now would it?" he asked, knowing the answer to that.

"So that means you'll be back late tonight? Alphys asked Sans as he began to walk towards the door leading out.

"when the kids are halfway to dreamland, yep. tell tori and fluffybuns i said hey. i'll see them later." Sans replied. And with that, he was gone with the closing sound of the door.

"AS ALWAYS, HE SAYS HIS PIECE AND LEAVES, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT. HONESTLY, HOW IN THE WORLD DID HE LAND A POSITION AS A PROFESSOR IS BEYOND ME." Papyrus sighed as he watched his brother leave. putting it out of his mind, he proceeded into the kitchen, leaving the Alphys there with the boys.

"Even now, Sans is ever the mysterious one of the two." Alphys stated with a chuckle.

"That's what makes him awesome, after all. Speaking of which Alphys, Any word on Mettaton?" Asriel asked the reptile.

"Indeed, I do. His tour in Japan is concluding and both he, Shyren and Napstablook will be back home next weekend. I recently got a text from him, and he brought us a lot of souvenirs, he even got me the collector's edition of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie! Even the Director's cut of volume 3! Don't know why he bother to add volume 2, seeing as how it ruins the first one, but I'll deal with it. Anyways, that's what he told me. He didn't say what else about what he got for us. Wanting us to be surprised when they get back. If he's willing to go to that length, then it's bound to be good. By the way, Undyne sent me a text earlier, she said that she'll be home at around 6. Practice sessions with the children today, so be sure to pass that along to Toriel, would you?" Alphys asked.

"Yeah, we can do that, no problem." Asriel replied to the reptile. She simply smiled at both boys and walked on, but not without giving both a pat on the head.

"Enjoy the pie, Dad made it today!" Asriel called out to her as they watched her walk into the kitchen. At the same time, they heard Papyrus joyful voice.

"WOWIE! WE HAVE PIE! OH, WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY THIS IS!"

Both boys only chuckled as they left the main hall. Walking over to the staircase that was nearby, both boys ascended and traveled along the way that lead back to their room. With homework done for the day, they were left to their own devices, and what better way for that, then video games. It would be a great way to pass time until it was time for dinner.

When dinner time rolled around, it was pretty lively as usual. Once Undyne got home, they started eating, while tackling topics about various things. Already, topics were going around the room by all members of them, about how they'd spend their weekend, their past day, upcoming holidays, vacations, picnic spots, anything that would come to mind, it was a great way to keep things interesting and have a different perspective on things. Sure, it was a bit sudden, but once they got something going, they went with it, to various results, some of them humorous The only one that wasn't there was Sans, so it was just the seven of them, all having a conversation.

"As always, Papyrus," Asgore started after swallowing a bite. "your cooking never ceases to amaze me. You've made a huge improvement these last couple of months, like we're eating from a fancy restaurant." the elder carpine complimented on the food, much to the skeleton's delight.

"YOUR WORDS OF PRAISE, FILL ME WITH JOY, YOUR HIGHNESS! THIS IS BUT A SMALL STEPPING STONE FOR ME. ONCE I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, MASTER THE ART OF COOKING AND CUISINE, I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO OPEN MY OWN RESTAURANT! FOR ALL TO ENJOY MY EDIBLE MASTERPIECES! AND YOU ALL SHALL BE THE FIRST ONES TO STEP FOOT IN AND EXPERIENCE MY LIFE'S WORK." Papyrus declared to everyone.

"Wow, Papyrus. Setting a high goal to strive for? Impressive. That's something I can look forward to when it happens. I'll be cheering you on." Undyne replied.

"SUCH ENCOURAGEMENT FROM MY DEAREST FRIEND! YOUR WORDS WILL ALLOW ME TO PRESS ON EVEN MORE! I'LL SHALL MAKE YOU PROUD." Papyrus responded.

*You tell Papyrus, you're rooting for him.*

"THANK YOU, TINY FORMER HUMAN. I'LL SHALL MAKE YOU ALL PROUD." said the skeleton while looking towards the hybrid.

"Remember what I taught you when you were training for the Royal Guard, Papyrus. When in pursuit of a goal, keep in mind the three things I told you and you'll do just fine." Undyne added.

"YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR UNDYNE. FOR I, THE GREAT AND RECOLLECTING, PAPYRUS, WILL NEVER FORGOT THE WORDS YOU'VE INSTILLED IN ME. FOR IF I DID, YOU'D HAVE ME RUN 500 LAPS UNTIL I REMEMBERED." Papyrus replied to the fish, bringing a smirk to her face.

"That's right. Can't have you forget something so important, now can I? On the topic of food. Where do you guys think the best place to have a picnic would be?" Undyne asked everyone.

"A place that's good for a picnic, hmm." Toriel pondered. "How about a spot with a view overlooking the lake down below along with other hills? I find that kind of place to be very soothing." the carpine fem suggested.

"I PREFER AN AREA WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE. LOT'S OF NEW FACES TO SEE AND FRIENDS TO MAKE." Papyrus pointed out.

"Um… I got nothing. How about you Frisk?" Asriel asked his brother.

*You tell Asriel that the location doesn't matter, so long as everyone was together.*

"D'aw, thanks Frisk. I like being around you too!" Asriel smiled towards him.

"I really don't mind, so long as we're all together. Although, anywhere that has a field of flowers and fancy hedge designs, sounds wonderful as well. A gazebo would be a nice touch too." Asgore added, thinking about it.

"A gazebo? Pretty fancy indeed, Fluffybuns. Overall, those are some pretty good ones, but what about you Alphys? What's your idea of a good picnic spot?" Undyne asked the reptile.

"M-me? W-w-well," She started, trying to find the right words until something came to mind. "Honestly, I feel a picnic in the park is best. The setting is nice, and we have a good view of the land, plus the breeze coming from the south side is pretty pleasant. I hear from my colleagues, that it's even more pleasant in the Springtime when the flowers are in bloom." Alphys pointed out while taking another bite of her food.

"The park huh? That actually sounds pretty good, wouldn't mind going there too. As for me? I prefer the beach. Plenty of sand, plenty of water. I mean, seriously, we have a view of the freakin' ocean! How awesome is that? If we're lucky, we just might see some sea action, like… a whale leaping out of the ocean to do a belly flop and make a huge wave after the crash!" Undyne added in enthusiastically.

"The beach?" Toriel started, joining on the conversation. "Hm, you know, in all of our time on the surface, we've never been to the beach before, not once. The only ones who have are you and Alphys, correct?" she asked. both Undyne and Alphys nodded in response.

"Yeah, it was great, we had lots of fun! We made sand castles, ate hot dogs, swam, I decided to challenge the local swimmers there, just for fun, and I got to see Alphys in a full bodied swimsuit!" Undyne proudly declared, causing the reptile to blush deeply, bringing about chuckles to the table.

"Undyne… you promised you wouldn't say anything about that!" Alphys huffed, looking off to the side.

"Hey, you got nothing to be ashamed of, you have an awesome figure! You should show it off more often." Undyne praised the reptile, patting her on the head. Alphys continued to blush at that.

"Are we going to the beach? Can we? Mom? Dad?" Asriel asked his parents while looking at the both of them, eager to see the beach for the first time in his life. Toriel looked a bit concerned at the request of her son, but Asgore only smiled and patted his son's head.

"I don't see why not? This'll be a good experience for you. I've been meaning to teach you how to swim for some time and this is the perfect chance to do so. What say you, Tori?" Asgore asked the fem caprine. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked towards him, then back to Asriel, who still looked at her with wide eyes, waiting for her answer.

"When you make those eyes Asriel, it's somewhat hard to say no sometimes. Very well then, I don't mind going to beach, in fact, we can go. But, you still have a project that needs to be done, both you and Frisk. Next weekend sounds better, you both have a four day weekend. You can even invite Kid to come with." Toriel told them.

"So we can?!" Asriel asked again, with more enthusiasm. Toriel saw how his brown eyes shone with hope, she just couldn't bring herself to say no to that face he made. In defeat, she simply nodded with a smile and that was all Asriel needed to hear. He cheered like any child did when being told something good that they like.

"Awesome! We're gonna go to the beach, Frisk! Isn't that cool?" Asriel asked his brother.

*You tell Asriel that you're going to make the biggest sandcastle ever.*

"And I'll help too! We can make the castle like the one back in the Underground." he added.

"So, we're in agreement? Awesome! We head to the beach, next Saturday." Undyne announced to them, all of them eager for the arranged trip coming up.

"THIS IS GREAT! I'LL GET TO SHOW OFF MY NEW BEACH OUTFIT. SUCH OCCASIONS REQUIRE THE PROPER ATTIRE. LUCKILY, I, THE GREAT AND PREPARED, PAPYRUS HAVE JUST THE THING!" Papyrus pointed out, looking forward to Saturday.

"Same here. Me and Alphys already have ours. So we're good to go, But I don't think the rest of you have swimsuits.

"I'm afraid not," Asgore started "Only you and Alphys have been to the beach. This'll be a first time for Tori, Asriel, Frisk and myself." He added.

*You tell Dad that you've been to the beach before.*

"Really, Frisk? In that case, It'll be a first for the three of us." Asgore corrected them himself.

"Is that so? Well, good thing I have tomorrow off. You, me and Alphy can go shopping for suits. Leave it to me, I know the best kinds for the water and fashion! Not only that," Undyne leaned over a bit towards Toriel, who simply looked at her. "This'll also be a good chance to see "Fluffybuns" in all his glory again." Undyne hinted. The mere mention of Asgore's pet name got the reaction that Undyne was hoping for from the two caprine. It didn't take much, but already they were shifting looks to various spots of the kitchen, but she didn't stop there, the marine biped kept up the assault, despite of everyone in the same area.

"How 'bout you Asgore?" Undyne redirected towards the male, making him jump a little. "This'll be the perfect to show off why Toriel gave you that name."

"Oh geez..." Asgore replied meekly, placing a hand over his face to hide his embarrassment. Undyne simply chuckled at the blush he did, but kept going.

"Oh c'mon! You're the King of Monsters, showing off what ya got is nothing to be ashamed of. Heck, if anything, you just may attract some lookers your way. I read that some humans are into that, according to Alphy." Undyne added, causing his blush to deepen and his face to sink further into his palm. She then turned her attention to Toriel.

"And as for you Toriel, it's a win-win situation! If all goes well, you just may be able to sneak a grab." Toriel's blush deepened as well as Asgore, but she managed to keep a straight face with her eyes close. she was struggling to keep a smile from forming, but it effort was lackluster to state the obvious and Undyne picked up on that easily and leered, grinning deviously.

"Deny it all you want, You want to, don't ya?" she questioned.

"Undyne, please…!" Toriel started, trying to get her to stop, but she knew better. Undyne was a stubborn one, once she started on something.

"Equal chance to attract Asgore's attention…" she hinted, and left it at that, causing Toriel to shoot her eyes open and deepen the red on her face, causing Undyne to laugh at. "This is great, next Saturday is gonna be awesome! Papyrus, I would offer for you to come, but you have class, right?" Undyne asked the skeleton.

"INDEED I DO! I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU PICK OUT FOR FOR THE FOUR THEM. MAKE SURE IT'S COOL AND STYLISH, LIKE ME!" Papyrus replied.

"Awesome, be sure to pass word along to Sans when he get's back. We're all going to the beach next Saturday! No exceptions and no excuses! We're gonna have fun!" Undyne announced to everyone, of course Asriel and Papyrus cheered at that, looking forward to the upcoming beachday. Finally able to breath easy, both caprine were able to move past that rather embarrassing moment that Undyne had set them up for, they could go back to finishing dinner without anymore surprises. Out of habit, they both shifted their eyes towards each other, blushed again, and looked off to the side just as fast. Asgore couldn't help but smile at that while Toriel looked a little uncomfortable after the brief eye contact with him, the fact she blushed at that, she tried to shake it away, but to no avail. She was finding it hard to believe that she was getting flustered over something so trivial. And about Asgore, no less! She made it perfectly clear that they were done and that there would be no more 'them' anymore, she put her foot down on it from day one and hadn't budged on it.

still…

The thought of seeing him in nothing but swimming trunks, was very appealing to the fem. working her way from top to bottom, being able to see his chest: wide and stocky, the perfect barrel chest that she had held, caressed, cried and kissed into, in the past years before, her thoughts continued to travel over his gut. it was the perfect amount of chub that made a wonderful cushion to rest and hold onto. Not too big or too lean, just perfect. Next was his arms, perfectly muscular and burly yet gentle, the same ones that held her close and kept her safe when she need reassurance during the days and nights. She could feel her blush returning as she remembered all the positive aspects of her ex. The golden hair that covered his strong jawline and his arms, while not being overdone or thinned too little, but in that perfect middle area that made it all the more attractive. And it extended over his chest in that arrow fashion and continued onwards and downwards over his round belly and right to his more… royal area. It was there, that her fantasies were at their strongest and she kept a firm lock on them, but once Toriel crossed over that line, she was its victim, He may have not noticed it, much to her relief, but around the house every now and then, whenever she saw him in his pink boxers and a rather small shirt that showed off his belly, that golden turf was in all it's glory and her mind drifted back to the passionate nights they had in the past.

The gentle and rough stroking, the heated and loving kisses, the flowery pillow talks, the torn sheets, his low and compelling voice when calling out her name, her cries of ardor for him, the passionate assertions she felt from him when he showed his dominance to her…! She felt her body tingling all over and could feel herself slipping into the inescapable slope of her carnal recollections and fast! If this kept up any longer, she would…

"Mom?" Asriel called out to her, bringing an immediate halt to the surging memories. She was very thankful for her son. This was a chance to focus on something else other than what happened in the past before. Letting out a breath, she took a moment to calm down and collect her thoughts and clear her head. With that done, she turned her attention towards Asriel, the blush was still there, but very, very tame now.

"Um, yes, Asriel? You had a question you wanted to ask me?" Toriel asked him.

"How come Undyne says that you call Dad; Fluffybuns?" The boy asked innocently, causing the blush to return back to being full and red. Asriel's question caused the entire family's talking to stop dead. Asgore was sharing the same blush that Toriel and went back to covering his face. Undyne, Alphys, and Papyrus were at a lost of words on how to answer him and spare the two goats further embarrassment. Obviously, Asriel thought he did something bad, seeing how everything just went quiet and started to panic a bit, worried that he would make everyone mad at him. "Ah..! I'm sorry! I didn't know that was bad! I just heard Undyne say it and thought it was okay! I'm really sorry!" The boy apologized quickly, feeling tears start to well up around his eyes. It was then that Frisk reached over and placed his white furred hand on Asriel's shoulder, catching the boy off guard and only smiled warmly.

*You tell Asriel that it's okay. You also tell him why Mom calls Dad that, is a pet name, like how Dad calls both of us Sport. It just means that she loves Dad a lot.*

"Really?" Asriel ask while looking towards that two elder carpines "Is that true?"

Both Asgore and Toriel lost the blush that was on their faces and looked towards their son, then to each other, awkwardly as it was and then back to the boy.

"Uh… of course, Asriel. It's just another way how your mother and I communicate. It just goes to show how much we still love each other. Right. Tori?" Asgore asked while looking towards her while Asriel did the same. She saw that he was making a winching face as if to apologize without using words. As expected, she was a little miffed that she was placed on the spot by him, but understood why he did what he did and that she didn't want to upset her son any further. Forcing a smile, she nodded towards him.

"That's right… Gory." She quickly strained but didn't linger on his pet name. "Your father is correct Asriel, we still love one another. So don't worry, we're not angry with you. But, I don't want to hear you use that word again, that's something only I can call him. Understand?" She asked gently. He wiped his tears that were in the corner of his eyes and nodded in understanding.

"Yes, Mom. I understand." He replied simply.

"Good," She returned. She leaned over to where he sat and gave a quick and motherly kiss on his cheek, making the boy smile widely and hug her in return. which she did as well. As this was going on, Asgore let out a breath of relief that the situation had been diffused and handled without an atmosphere of awkwardness hanging about afterwards, thanks to Frisk's quick thinking. No doubt, that he was going to get a good talking to from Toriel, that was basically guaranteed, but he felt good knowing that Asriel understood what was told of him. Pulling back from the boy and petting his head, she began to talk again. "Alright, I believe that dinner is done. Everyone, plates in the sink, grab a sponge and start cleaning. Fisk and Asriel, upstairs. It's bathtime now. Once done, you both can watch an hour of tv, then it's bedtime. Hop to it." She clapped. taking hold of her plate and stood from the seat, walking over to the sink, while everyone else followed. Frisk and Asriel left the table and headed out of the kitchen while the adults started to clean.

After said hour had passed, just as they were told, it was bedtime and both Frisk and Asgore were tucked into their beds. The soft glow of the lamp shone throughout the room and both boys were now under the covers and finished listening to the story that Asgore had finished reading. All three of them were having a grand time as Asgore closed the book and placed it on the nightstand just beneath the lamp.

"And that's the end of the story boys, The swans spent the rest of their days at the lake and many more to come with the following. I know, I know Frisk, you heard this story before time and time again. It's just Asriel favorite part of the book." Asgore chuckled.

"Because I like that ending. It's good." Asriel replied.

"That's why I chose that book again. Perhaps, you can let Frisk choose the next one tomorrow?" Asgore suggested.

*You tell Dad, you don't mind hearing the same story again.*

"Never hurts to have a little variety. The same thing can get stale." the Caprine male chuckled while standing up from Asriel's bed.

"What? No way! You heard Frisk, he…" the goat boy let out a rather long yawn as he continued to lay in his bed. The sandman was calling to them. "like the book, too. Just like me. Read it again tomorrow, okay?" he asked his father. Asgore only chuckled a fatherly chuckle at the request from the young prince.

"Very well then. So shall it be. Now, time for rest my young heirs, Tomorrow is a new day." Asgore said while leaning over the boy and placing a small peck on his head. "Good night, my son." He stepped over to Frisk and did the same thing while gently ruffling his brown hair. "Good night, my child." He flicked the lamp off and walked over to the door and hit the switch near the door that flicked on the night light. Walking out the room, he stuck his upper half back in while gently clutching the door and smiled. "I'll see you both in the morning."

"G'night Daddy." Asriel sleepily replied.

*You tell Dad good night as well after yawning.*

And with that, door closed quietly until a click was heard, shutting the room, allowing the boys to rest peaceful while pleasantly dreaming. On the other side of the door that lead to the main hall, Asgore let out a breath, knowing that they were now asleep. Letting go of the door handle he started to walk away and work his way down balcony that lead to the stairs which he traversed. A frown on his face as he reached the bottom and proceed over to the main hall which lead to both his and Toriel's separate rooms. He stopped to look at the clock that was hanging nearby and saw that the night was relatively young, only nine in fact. He turned his body towards to where the others were. They were in the tv room, still watching television, easily known by how he heard the sound of explosions going on and about with Undyne cheering at the havoc. He simply chuckled at this, they were probably watching another of Alphys' animes, but he wasn't exactly in the mood to partake in the activity. In fact, he was feeling rather tired, given that he was in the yard most of the day.

"I think I'm gonna pass on the anime tonight, I'll just head off to bed." Asgore said while moving from where he stood to just pass the entrance towards the short hallway.

"aww, again fluffybuns? i thought you enjoyed alphys' animes."

Rather that be scared from a voice from nowhere, Asgore only chuckled at the sudden voice that called out to him, that he knew all too well. Placing a hand on his door handle, he turned to see a very familiar face and grin simply standing on the outside of the hallway.

"Welcome home Sans. you're back pretty early, I'd thought you be home later than now. Had fun?" Asgore asked while looking at the skeleton in a blue hoodie and black short sweats.

"oh yeah, i had oodles of fun. met the entire dog family there as well as everyone else. they all said hi." Sans informed while staying in place.

"Oh! The entire dog family? That's good to hear. How are they, it's been a good while since I've seen them." Asgore asked while turning to face Sans.

"they're doing just fine. and more, so i'll throw you a bone. dogamy and dogaressa are about to be proud parents. she's in her third trimester, so we'll see in the next couple of weeks.

"Wow, she's pregnant? I had no idea. Well, then again, we aren't in the Underground anymore so I can't just up and go see them whenever since they live pretty far from where we do. I'll be sure visit them. What about the others?" Asgore asked.

"they're doin' fine as well. lesser dog and greater dog are living together not too far from where we do. as for doggo, ever since his new glasses helped improved his eyesight, he works full time as guard dog for the ebott police department. and yes, he's still getting unexpected pets from his co-workers." Sans added.

"Is that right, that's impressive. I thought he got a seeing eye dog?"

"yeah, about that. some silly nonsense about dogs can't own dogs, according to him. i dunno. guy's weird but a whole heck of fun to be around. that being said, how's that wound doing? happened in the kitchen today, with a knife?" Sans asked the goat. Asgore simply covered it and rubbed. the pain had since been long gone, but he didn't pay it any mind.

"Yeah, these things tend to happen when using sharp items. The boys were worried about it too, but I told them that I'm okay." Asgore added. Sans stood silent for a brief moment, looking at it and then back to Asgore, still keeping that smile he always had. Then again, like Papyrus, he too was a skeleton.

"welp, if you say so fluffybuns. just use more caution with those things, they have pretty cutting remarks." Sans chuckled, which caused Asgore to laugh as well at the pun. "i'm gonna go chill in front of the tube with the others. i'll see you in the morning fluffybuns. knife night." Sans joked again, earning another laugh from the carpine male. Sans never ceased to get him with his puns and witty humor, something he wished he could do. Taking hold of the door handle, he pushed his way into the room and closed the door behind him. Not bothering to turn on the lights, thanks to the lights from the street on the outside, he easily found his bed and sat down on it, momentarily. Letting out a breath, he laid down in the dark and held his hand up above his face. Even in the dark, he knew it was the one with the wound on it, he didn't need a light to see that. Letting out a breath, he turned over and closed his eyes, simply waiting for the realm of sleep to call for him.

"Tomorrow is a new day…"

To be continued...